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Short scenic trip in the Alps

Posted by on

Hi,

I am trying to plan a short trip from Venice through Switzerland and back to Milan with my parents who are both quite elderly. So the emphasis is on scenic beauty rather than hiking or skiing etc.

This is what I have figured out until now:

7 September: Venice to Verona and then Verona to Innsbruck: 3.5 hours. Possibly go to Garmisch and back or just stay in Innsbruck.

8 September: Innsbruck to Bludenz/Buchs/Bregenz via Arlberg pass for the scenic train-ride: which is the best end-point ? From here, I think I would like to get to Lucerne (do I have to touch Zurich ? Is there a smart route ?)

9 September - 11 September (Swiss alps, make it to Milan by 11 night):

Here I have many options, and this is where I really need advice. I have tried to break it up into 3 options, but perhaps even these are not the most sensible routes...

Option A) Engelberg-Mt. Titlis and Then Locarno-Lugano-Como-Milan or Locarno-Domodossloa-Milan ? Is this a different route than the fast train via the Gothard Pass ? More scenic ?

Option B) Lucerne to Zermatt and then Glacier express to St. Moritz on 10th and return to Milan on 11th via Bernina Express route ?

Option C) Interlaken-Jungfraujoch and then make it to Milan ? Possibly touch Zermatt as well ?

Thanks a lot for your help !!

Best, Suresh

Posted by
7175 posts

I like Option B (but would reverse it)
7 Sep Venice to Tirano via Verona (check bags at station and spend a few hours)
8 Sep Tirano to St Moritz on Bernina Express
9 Sep St Moritz to Zermatt on Glacier Express
10 Sep Zermatt to Lucerne
11 Sep Lucerne to Milan

Another option would be ...
7+8 Sep To Lauterbrunnen Valley (giving opportunity for Jungfraujoch)
9+10 Sep To Lucerne (giving opportunity for Titlis)
11 Sep To Milan

Posted by
21140 posts

I probably would not go to Tirano from Venice as that would mean going al the way to Milan to get to Tirano.
The first part of your plan looks reasonable. To get to Luzern from Innsbruck, take the Railjet train to Zurich and change to a direct regional train to Luzern. That is an easy connection, no running up and down steps and not a short connection time.
In Luzern, you can gauge how they are doing. Need to relax, or keep going? Take a leisurely boat cruise, or go to Mt Titilis, or both. You can have some flexibility to change the plan according to the stamina of your parents and also the weather. You can also decide if you want to make the Glacier Express, which you can get at Brig and not go all the way to Zermatt. You can also go direct to Chur and take the Bernina Express to Tirano, then on to Milan. Or you can hang out and take the train with one connection to Milan from Luzern over the Gothard Pass. This has a rather fast 6 minute transfer at Arth Goldau with a down-and-up stairway change, but you can opt to spend an hour there and take a train 1 hour later. These trains are showing expectation of high occupancy in 2nd class at that time. May be splurge on 1st class.
Also, if you do decide to take the Glacier Express, 1st class would be decent spurge for that. You can have a leisurely lunch served right at your table seats.

Posted by
5 posts

Thank you very much for your replies ! After some more searching and considering that perhaps it not such a good idea after all to go beyond 2000 m since my parents have heart problems, I decided on the following tentative itinerary. I would like comments/advice/ideas/help on this, thanks again :)

Sep 7: Venice to Innsbruck (via Verona, Trento, Rovereto etc).
Sep 8,9: Innsbruck: (perhaps a trip to Kitzenbuhl/Kaprun/Zell-am-See: any suggestions ?)
Sep 10: Travel from Innsbruck to Bregenz
Sep 11: Bregenz-Chur-Tirano-Milan (Bernina express route: but taking the regional train, which people say offers the same views ?)

What do you think ?

Is the Chur to Tirano route nicer than the Chur to Lugano route ?

Also, on the Chur to Tirano route, some trains go via St. Moritz, while others go via Samedan: from the map, it seems that the only difference is whether they touch St. Moritz or not. Is that correct ?

Very best, Suresh

Posted by
21140 posts

Sounds good. The train route from Chur to Tirano is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Yes, St Moritz is just a little off the most direct rail line between Chur and Tirano. Since most of the passengers are going to St Moritz, a short rail link short cuts going into St Moritz for passengers going between Chur and Tirano. A couple of trains a day go direct between Chur and Tirano bypassing St Moritz entirely.
The change in Tirano to Milan is to the Trenord station that is just across a small Piazza with no substantial steps.

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